Saturday May 11, 2013
I was up early. Seriously early. Like 3:45am early so I could walk around my room like a zombie doing the final packing while sipping on a Keurig hotel room coffee (surprisingly good that--especially since I'd bought real cream to put in it).

I loaded the luggage in the car with and took all my belongings and garbage out of its nooks and crannies. After spending so much time in that car over six days it became kinda like a second hotel room.

My wheels for the tour

I found the airport in the dark with no trouble (yay me) and parked the rental. Quite a few people at the airport. I’m not sure why this always surprises me. Anyway, there were no issues lining up for this and lining up for that, and then finally waiting for my flight to be called.

Flyin WestJet

As I sat in the plane the most beautiful sunrise appeared. It was like a parting gift.

Sunrise in Saskatoon

The flight was uneventful. They don’t call those early morning flights “red eyes” for nothing. I collected all my luggage (phew!), caught a shuttle bus, loaded my mini van (it felt huge after driving a compact for a week!), bought some breakfast, and drove myself home. Once home I promptly shed my glamorous touring author persona (:>) to be mom again but that’s okay. You need a life if you want stuff to write about.

Thank you to the Canadian Children’s Book Centre and TD Bank for this amazing thing called Book Week. To the kids (keep reading and writing!) and teachers and librarians, you were all wonderful, and I won’t ever forget how special and welcome you made me feel. And my final huge, enormous and gigantic thank you goes to my tour organizer Saache Heinrich for all her work planning and coordinating where and when I went, where I’d stay, and how I’d get there. It was flawlessly organized.

THANK YOU Saache!!

The lovely gifts and cards I received from the schools and libraries.

Random Memorable Moments

Being asked to power down my Kobo on takeoff. Even though its wireless was turned off. As someone who would rather read than think too much about the takeoff this was, um, not ideal. But you do what you have to do.

Taxiing across the runway in Toronto and having the flight attendant entertain us on the long, long journey to the terminal by telling jokes. They were groaners. Proof:

"What do you call an alligator wearing a vest? An in-Vest-i-gator."

My Saskatchewan Playlist
Thanks to all the time in the car with the radio on, loud, these songs will forever remind me of Saskatchewan:Thrift Shop, MacklemoreMy Songs Know What You Did in the Dark, Fall Out BoyRadioactive, Imagine DragonsCome & Get It, Selena GomezCan’t Hold Us, MacklemoreBlurred Lines, Robin ThickeFeel This Moment, PitbullHurricane, Bridgit MendlerDon’t YouWorry Child, Swedish House Mafia22, Taylor SwiftGet Lucky, Daft PunkCrazy Kids, KeshaGentlemen, Psy